NFL Draft: Draft ends, Mangini aims to win

Steve Doerschuk

Monday

Apr 27, 2009 at 12:01 AMApr 27, 2009 at 9:16 AM

The picks are in the barn -- too soon to tell if they’ll move the Browns to a part of the farm that smells better than 4-12. Sunday’s draft harvest was USC linebacker Kaluka Maiava in Round 4 and an intriguing three-pack from Round 6.

The picks are in the barn -- too soon to tell if they’ll move the Browns to a part of the farm that smells better than 4-12.

Maiava figures to make the team, be a dynamo on special teams, and compete to be a third-down linebacker.

“We kept hearing the same line about him ... he’s as tough as they come,” General Manager George Kokinis said.

Franceis was rated as a Round 2-3 prospect by Pro Football Weekly, with a 2007 red flag on his resume. He was arrested in 2007 for illegally possessing a loaded gun. Charges were dropped, but he was kicked off the Oregon State team.

“It was a very unfortunate situation,” Franceis said Sunday. “I learned from it. It made me a stronger, better person.”

Davis has been a touchdown machine, scoring an amazing 127 times in high school and college. He has worked out with Browns back Jamal Lewis – both attended Douglas High School in Atlanta.

“He’s a decent-sized kid with some straight-line speed and production,” Head Coach Eric Mangini said. “At that time of the draft, you take a shot.”

The heavy lifting of the draft and free agency is done. It has wrought much change. To wit:

- An overhaul of linebackers.

Two former Hawaii high school stars can ice fish on Lake Erie now. Maiava is a heat-seeking missile who adds speed to the inside linebacking corps.

“I met with (Mangini) when I was in California,” Veikune said. “We had a little dinner, room service and stuff like that. I really felt a connection with him.”

Veteran linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens had already been added in free agency.

- Defensive line help.

Potential starting end Kenyon Coleman arrived Saturday in a trade with the Jets. Mangini calls him “an unbelievable person who adds real stoutness in the run game.” He led NFL defensive linemen with 90 tackles in 2007 before tapering off in ‘08.

Ex-Jet C.J. Mosley, who figures to play 15 to 30 snaps a game in a rotation, was added previously.

- Passing game stability.

With Braylon Edwards a possible trade target, Donté Stallworth in hot water, and Mark Sanchez rumored to be an option with the No. 5 overall pick, the passing game might have been starting over from scratch.